Addressing machine



Oct. 23, 192s.

E. D. GRADY ADDRESSING MACHINE Filed Oct. l2, D325 Patented ct. Z3, 192g.

UIT

Filiali i FFME.

ADDRESSING IVACHNE.

Application filed October 12, 1926.

rl`his invention relates to stencilling devices, or more particularly to a device for addressing envelopes, which device eliminates the need of an expensive machine for this purpose and works very much on the same principle as the rubber stamp.

An object of my invention is to provide a stamp pad having a handle, with means for automatically picking up a stencil, holding the same while the stencil is being imprinted and automatically releasing the stencil after it has been used.

Another object of my invention is to provide a container for holding a plurality of stencils with means on the container for operating mechanism located on a stamp pad.

Anotner object of my invention is to provide an addressing machine which can be used for addressing packages regardless of the size of the packages.

Some of the objects of my invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

ln the drawings, l have shown a preferred embodiment` of my invention, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the container for holding the stencils and of the inking device and associated parts;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the inking device and the stencil held in place ready for use;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of the inking device and of one of the stencil containers with the mechanism in release position;

Figure a is a cross sectional View taken along the line 4 4 in Figure 1.

'A brief description of the drawings hav ing been given, a detailed description will now follow in which like reference charac ters indicate corresponding parts througlr out t-he drawings.

rfhe numeral 10 indicates a container for holding a plurality of stencils 11. This container has a compression spring 12 mounted therein, the lower portion of which is secured to the bottom of the container (not shown). rEhe upper portion of this spring rests against a false bottom 13 on which the stencils 11 are adapted to rest. The strength is connected to wires 35 and 3G, the

Serial No. 141,112.

of this spring 12 is such that regardless of the number of stencils in the container at any time, the upper stencil will always be in the position indicated in Figure 1. The upper portion of container 10 flares outwardly on the four sides, as indicated by the numeral 1l in Figure 1. Between these outwardly flaring members 1i and the inside walls of the container there are shoulder portions 15 on which the outer edges 16 of the inking device is adapted to rest while the stencils are being picked up by said stamp pad member.

'ihe inking device is indicated by the numeral 1T and has a handle 18. Inside of the inking device, is located the ink box 19, which has a plurality of layers of fabric 20, 21 and 22, in the bottom thereof, which regulates the passage ot ink therethrough to the stencil.

On one of the sides of the inking device, the switch member 23 is pivoted on the pin 24. rlhis switch member has forked clamp members 25 and 26 located on its ends. Mounted in a horizontal plane and equidistant from the pin 24, are the pins 27 and 28.

hOn the respective ends of the inking device are mounted the electro-magnets 29 and 30, the cores 3l and 32 of these electro-magnets being approximately flush with the lower surface 16 of the inking device. Two electric wires 33 and 34 are led from a source of electric energy (not shown) through the handle member 18, the wire being connected to the pin 2S. The wire wire being connected to one of the terminals of the electro-magnet 29. To the other terminal of the electro-magnet 29, is connected the wire 37, which leads to and is connected to the pin 24;, and from this pin 24, a wire 3S leads to one of the terminals of the electromagnet 30, and t-o the other terminal of the electro-magnet 30, there is secured the wire 36, which leads back and is connected to the wire 34.

Located in the ends of the stencil member 11 and on the upper surface, thereof, only, are the metallic contact points 39.

On the side of the container 10 and projecting upward from the surface 15, is the lUO pin 40 and located in like manner on the side rot the container L11 is the pin 42.

energy, the operator seizes the handle 18 'and 'presses the mlnng device and the associd ated parts downward into the iiaring top of container 10. Vvlhen the inlring device 17 enters the top olf the Container 10, the ,pin ZlO will press the hook 26 upwardly, thereby causing it to lirinly engage the pin 28, and at the saine time the hook 25 will be torced `out oli engagement with the pin 27. In this position, the electro-magnets will become charged and the cores 31 and 32 of said electro-1nagncts, beingl in contact with the metallic points 39, will cause the stencil to be securely held against the inliing device as shown in Figure 2. The device is now ready to be pressed against an envelope for addressing the saine. As soon as the addressing operation is completed, inlring device 17, while still holding the stencil is pressed downwardly into another container 41, which is a duplicate ot the container 10, with the exception that the container l1 does not vhave a spring bottom, and with the t'urther exception that the pin 4t2 is located at a point where it will press the hook 25 upwardly into engagement with pin 27, thereby releasing hook 26 from the pin 28 and breaking the circuit through. the electro-magnets. rThe electro-magnets being tlc-energized by this operation, the stencil will be released from the inking device and will fall into the receiving container 41.

Although I have shown a device of this nature operated by electro-magnets, I desire it to. be understood that instead ot using electric means for holding stencils against the inlingl device that I may use vacuum cups, instead et the electro-magnets with a suction pipe leading thereitrom, to a vacurun and with the lever operating an air valve to cut the vacuum onand elli from the vacuum cups.

Having` thus described the preferred embodiment ot my invention, I desire it to be understood thatalthough specific terms are used, they are usedin a generic and descriptive sense, andnot for purpose ot limitation, the scope of this invention is being set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An inling device having magnetic means for picking up and holding a stencil during a printing operation and additional means for causing the stencil to be released after the printing operation.

A printing device having magnetic means for automatically attaching a stencil to an inlring device and holding` the stencil in attached position, and means for automat- Ilessees ically releasing the stencil alter the compl-et-ion of the printing operation.

3. In a printing device, the combination o't a container having a compression spring in the bottom thereof, a series ot stencils supper 'd by the compression spring, metallic points on the stencils, an inliing device having means thereon adapted to be engaged by a portion oit the container for automatically operating the means on the inlring device to pick up a stencil from the container and to hold the said stencil.

a. In a printing mechanism, an inlring device having elcctro-magnets mounted thereon, a source ot' electric energy for charging said electro-magnets, a switch for controlling the liow et electric energy to the said electromagnets to cause the electro-magnets to pick up a. printing member, hold the same during the printing operation, and release a printing men'iber, after the printing operation has been completed.

5. In a printing device, the combination of an inlring device, electro-magnets mounted on the inhing device, a switch for controlling an electric current to the electro-magnets, a container adapted to hold a plurality ot stencils having metallic contact points thereon, a projection on the container for operating the switch to a position to energize the electromagnets, the metallic contact points on the stencils being adapted to be engaged by the electro-magnets to cause the stencils to adhere to the inking device, a second container havingl a projection thereon tor operating the switch to cle-energize the electro-magnets and to allow the stencil to 'fall into the container.

6. An addressing machine having in combination, a container having a plurality of stencils thereon, a second container, an inhing device adapted to lit into the top ot the container, electro-magnets on the inlring device, said electro-magnets being adapted to pick one stencil at a. time out ot' the container and to hold the said stencil against the inling device until the inlring device is placed in the top oi the second container.

7. An inking device, electro-magnets, mounted on the inling device, electric wires leading to the,electro-magnets, a switch on the inking device for controlling the flow of current to the electro-magnets, said electroinagnets being adapted to attract and hold a stencil against the inlring device, until the printing operation has been completed and to rel-ease the stencil a'lter the printing operation has been completed.

8. In an addressing machine, the combination oi a container, stencils in the container, metallic contact points on the stencils, an inking device, electro-magnets on the inlring device, a switch pivoted at its center on the inking device and adapted to be swung into position to energize and cie-energize the electroinagnets, a projection on the side of the container adapted to engage the pivoted switch and to move the saine to a position Where it will energize the electro-magnets, whereby one of the stencils will be held against the electro-magnets and against the inking device.

9. In a device as set forth in claim 8, a second Container having a projection there- 10 on for engaging` and swinging the pivoted switch to cie-energize the electro-magnets and to permit the stencil to fall into the seeond container.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ERNEST D. GRADY. 

